1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and a method for controlling a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are conventional techniques capable of detecting a face image from an entered image using a method that can automatically detect a face region by detecting a characteristic portion or a flesh color portion of an object face from object image data.
For example, the conventional technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-013871 can register particular reference image data and can determine whether or not newly entered image data agrees with the reference image data.
For example, the conventional technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 09-251534 can identify a face region by calculating a correlation value between the image data of a pre-registered face and the image data of an object face.
Furthermore, the conventional technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-162118 can divide image data into plural frequency-band regions to limit a region including a face and can calculate a correlation value between the data in the limited region and pre-registered face image data.
These conventional techniques can be applied to cameras.
The conventional technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-107335 can automatically detect a main object from image data using a shape analysis or the like and can display an auto-focus (AF) area of a detected main object. Then, the focus adjustment processing can be applied to the AF area.
The conventional technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-317699 can discriminate a face region (i.e., a main object area) by detecting a feature point from image data and can set an AF area in accordance with the detected region.
Furthermore, the conventional technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-320286 can discriminate a face region by detecting a feature point from image data and can drive a zooming mechanism in accordance with the size of the detected region.
In general, the movement of a sports player is very moving (i.e., rapid) and accordingly it is very difficult to find out or track a particular player through an optical finder or on a back monitor of an imaging apparatus.
A photographer may be required to take pictures for all of participants, when the photographer joins an indoor or outdoor event, such as a buffet-style dinner party or a day camp. However, many of the participants in such an event are unknown to the photographer. Therefore, it is generally difficult for the photographer to check and confirm whether or not all of the participants have been photographed.
According to the above-described conventional techniques, face image data of the participants can be registered beforehand as reference images and can be compared with photographed image data to search for a participant who has not been photographed yet.
Furthermore, it is possible to check how many pictures are taken for each participant. However, these methods basically require time-consuming preparatory work for registering image data of all participants as reference images. In other words, these methods cannot be used when the user fails to accomplish the required preparation. There is another problem that the user takes a long time and cumbersome operations to search each participant's pictures when the user checks each participant's pictures.
Therefore, a need exists for an imaging apparatus (e.g., a camera) that allows a photographer to easily determine (without extensive preparation) whether a given object, such as a participant (person), has been photographed during a particular time frame, e.g., during a particular event. Furthermore, there is a need for the imaging apparatus to allow the photographer to easily determine how many times a given object, such as a participant, has been photographed during the particular time frame.